Contents

History

Journey to Middle-earth

Half Brothers by Tuuliky

Fingolfin and his older half-brother Fëanor always had a feud between them. During the days of the Two Trees in Valinor, as Melkor's lies were taking their place in Noldor's minds, people started thinking that the Valar were holding them back from going back to Cuiviénen. Fëanor was the first to speak against the Valar, and Fingolfin disagreed with him. They were called by Finwë to resolve the issue. Fëanor arrived fully armed with weapons, and even though Fingolfin accepted him as the older one, Fëanor threatened Fingolfin with his sword, after which Fingolfin bowed to Finwë and left, only to be followed by Fëanor and be threatened again.

After King Finwë died, Fëanor rallied up the Noldor and gave an impassionate speech. Nearly all of the Noldor followed him, along with his two half-brothers. Fingolfin led the largest host of the Ñoldor when they fled Aman for Middle-earth, even though he thought this unwise; he did not want to abandon his people to Fëanor. As days passed in their exile, more and more of the Noldor started speaking against Fëanor, for their journey was uneasy, and they feared the prophecy of Mandos. After Noldor acquired the ships of Teleri following the First Kinslaying, followers of Fëanor were the first to use them to get across the sea. Fëanor burned the ships after arriving to Middle-earh, for he thought the followers of Fingolfin proved to be useless.

Fingolfin and his people saw the smoke of the ships from afar, and chose to travel through the ice desert, for they were ashamed to go back to Valinor, and were angry at Fëanor. Fingolfin took them across the ice of the Helcaraxë, the journey was hard and many died, yet they were filled with hope when they saw the Moon for the first time. And soon after, at the rising of the Sun, he came to the Gates of Angband and smote upon them, but Morgoth stayed hidden inside. Fingolfin and the Noldor, realising they can't be victorious this way, then came to the northern shores of Lake Mithrim, from which the Fëanorian part of the host had withdrawn.

Kingship

Shortly after Fëanor's death, his oldest son Maedhros was captured by Morgoth. Learning this, Fingolfin's oldest son Fingon rescued Maedhros, with whom he was a good friend. Maedhros consequently waived his claim to kingship. Thus Fingolfin became High-King of the Noldor. He ruled from Hithlum, by the northern shores of Lake Mithrim.

After defeating the Orcs in the Dagor Aglareb ("Glorious Battle"), Fingolfin maintained the Siege of Angband for nearly four hundred years. But the Siege was ended by the sudden assaults of Morgoth in the Dagor Bragollach ("Battle of Sudden Flame"), and many peoples of Beleriand fled. In the end Fingolfin rode to Angband alone to challenge Morgoth to single combat. He rode so fast that those who saw him thought Oromë himself arrived. Fingolfin died there after a mighty duel, wounding Morgoth seven times with his sword Ringil, and struck one last blow to Morgoth's foot before he broke the High King. Morgoth's wounds never healed after that battle, and he limped everafter. Thorondor the King of Eagles then brought Fingolfin's body to a mountaintop overlooking Gondolin, and Turgon built a cairn over the remains of his father.

"In that vast shadow once of yoreFingolfin stood: his shield he borewith field of heaven’s blue and starof crystal shining pale afar.In overmastering wrath and hatedesperate he smote upon that gate,the Gnomish king, there standing lone,while endless fortresses of stoneengulfed the thin clear ringing keenof silver horn and baldric green."

Etymology

Fingolfin's father-name was Ñolofinwë (Q: "Wise Finwë", pron. N[ˌŋoloˈfinwe], V[ˌŋoloˈɸinwe], TAExilic[ˌnoloˈfinwe]). His mother-name was Aracáno ("High Chieftain", pron. [ˌaraˈkaːno]). Fingolfin is the Sindarin form of his father-name, with the word Finwë added to the beginning. The addition was done by Fingolfin himself in pursuance of his claim to be High King of the Noldor after his father's death.[1]